IT'S a situation few would have predicted at the start of the month. After winning only one of four league games in August, and crashing out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, Mossley have won four out of five played in September.

Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Scarborough took them to fourth in the Evo-stik NPL first division north, and co-boss Peter Band believes they are well-placed to cement that position.

In midweek many of the top clubs played each other and some inevitably dropped points while Mossley won. On Saturday, Band wants to take advantage of the leading sides' involvement in the FA Cup. A win over Kendal would put the Lilywhites second in the table.

Asked the secret of Mossley's sudden resurgence, Band replied: "Getting a fair crack of the whip - and by that I mean Lloyd Morrison and myself being able to choose from a squad we've built. Last year we lost around 15 players to Ashton United.

"Over the summer the lads have been doing some boxing and they're fitter and stronger. We've got leaders too, people who'll roll their sleeves up and battle.

"Last season, if we'd been 3-0 down to Farsley we would probably have rolled over. This time there's a belief about the side. Players like Josh Granite and Mitchell Bryant have added some steel."

Band is also adamant his team should have done better in its early defeats. He says they should have taken something from Salford and heavily defeated Bamber Bridge. He describes the opening-day 5-5 draw with Harrogate Railway as a bonkers game.

"We should have five or six more points than we have, and if that was the case we'd be above Salford," the Seel Park co-manager added.

On Saturday, Mossley are home to Kendal whom they beat 3-2 at Parkside Road a fortnight ago. In the meantime, however, the Cumbrians have "parted company" with manager David Foster and started to pick up points under caretaker boss Michael Stringfellow. A 2-2 draw at Burscough was followed by a 4-1 victory over Radcliffe.

Band summed up: "It's going well but to use that old saying we're taking it one game at a time. We've got to keep our feet on the ground and focus on the job in hand."

OLLIE DEVENNEY could make his first appearance for Mossley in tomorrow (Tuesday's) FA Cup preliminary round replay with Burscough at Seel Park.

There are questions over the fitness of the midfielder, signed from Nantwich Town on the recommendation of Karl Marginson, his manager at FC United. However, the large number of injuries in the Lilywhites squad could force the hand of co-managers Peter Band and Lloyd Morrison.

Band said: "Ollie probably needs a couple more training sessions as I'm not completely sure he's match fit. But given the situation we're in he might get on against Burscough.

"It's really important for the club that we win it because FA Cup games generate cash and we could pick up £1,925. We'll have to make sure we start well. And of course it's a big incentive to know we would be playing Curzon Ashton in the next round."

Mike Fish, Steve Foster, James Blair, Liam Higginbotham and John Bennett are all injured and Dougie Carroll may not be available. However, Band believes most could return for Saturday's home league clash with Lancaster City.

So far, Mossley have taken four points from a possible 12, but in their last Evo-stik match they achieved their first three points of the season, beating Padiham 2-1.

"It's been a funny start. We've played well in the games we lost and probably not been at our best against Padiham and Burscough where we won and drew. Even so I think we should have six points instead of four," said Band.

"So far we haven't reached the heights we managed in pre-season although I realise friendlies are nothing like competitive fixtures. But once everybody's fit I think we could upset a few people.

"To do that it's likely we'll have to keep more players than we intended to. You can only put 16 names on the sheet which means some lads will always be disappointed if you have a squad of more than 20.

"However you can never legislate for injuries. If we'd let people go, as we planned, we'd have been struggling to put a team out."

Burscough manager Derek Goulding made two changes for Saturday's tie. He put Danny Dunleavy into midfield and striker John Connolly made his first appearance of the season after missing the opening games through illness.

The first qualifying round of the FA Cup takes places on Saturday, September 13, with £3,000 going to each winner. The ties as they affect Tameside and Glossop are Brigham Town v Ashton United, Burscough or Mossley v Curzon Ashton, Northwich Victoria v Glossop North End and Ossett Albion v Droylsden.